Moldova has officially applied for membership of the European Union, a week after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu said in a statement on Thursday that the country had signed “a request to join the European Union”.
“We want to live in peace, prosperity, be part of the free world,” she said. “While some decisions take time, others must be made quickly and decisively, and taking advantage of the opportunities that come with a changing world.”
Sandu, the prime minister and the parliamentary speaker all signed the document during a briefing in the capital, Chisinau, where pro-Russian and pro-EU politicians have vied for control since Moldova won independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
The application will be sent to Brussels in the coming days, the president said.
